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A new genus and species of Loricifera, Scaberiloricus samba gen. et sp. nov., is described from the continental shelf and slope off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Adult morphology remains unknown for the new entity, but information is available from three different Higgins larval instars. The Higgins larva of the new species is characterised by a bulbous head and a slender, elongate trunk, separated by a constriction behind the head. The cuticle of the thorax and the posterior part of the head is characterised by numerous longitudinal zigzag folds. The new species and genus shows greatest morphological resemblance with Wataloricus japonicus, and a phylogenetic analysis based on Higgins larval morphological characters suggests that Scaberiloricus gen. nov., Wataloricus, Tenuiloricus, and Patuloricus form a monophyletic group within Pliciloricidae. The analysis furthermore suggests that the Higgins larvae of Scaberiloricus gen. nov. and Wataloricus represent transitional, evolutionary stages towards the highly aberrant Shira larvae, found in species of Tenuiloricus and Patuloricus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumbrineriopsis dulcis sp. nov. is morphologically described from the continental shelf and slope of Espírito Santo and the Campos Basin of Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil, at depths between 14 and 400 m. Lumbrineriopsis mucronata is the only species of the genus recorded until now in Brazil. The new species differs from other congeneric species in its jaw-apparatus morphology with unfused mandibles and a fixed number of simple limbate chaetae and simple, bidentate, hooded hooks in each parapodium. This paper aims to fill the gap in knowledge on the family Lumbrineridae, which has not been studied in Brazil for the last 25 years and provides the first record of the genus from Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro states. This record is significant given the damage to the marine ecosystem of the Espírito Santo region due to the 2015 rupture of the Samarco mining company dam, the largest environmental disaster in Brazil's history. In addition, this region has important environmental conservation units such as Costa das Algas Environmental Protection Area, Santa Cruz Wildlife Refuge, and Comboios Biological Reserve. All these preserved areas are of paramount importance for the protection of marine biological diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus, is a widely distributed species found in all oceans, even if irregularly, inhabiting continental shelves and slopes, islands, and mid-ocean ridges in deep seas. The species is currently classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as globally near-threatened, with a decreasing population. Despite some records in Brazil, the known distribution of this species in the Southwestern Atlantic is very patchy and, in some cases, not yet recorded in the world reference literature, such as in northeastern Brazil. This study, therefore, highlights new records for the species in the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic, particularly off the northeastern Brazilian coast. This information is paramount to establishing distribution maps for the species employed in a population status assessment by the IUCN. The bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus, is a widely distributed demersal species found in tropical and temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, inhabiting continental shelves and slopes, islands, and mid-ocean ridges at depths ranging from 200 to 1100 m. In the Southwestern Atlantic, this species has been recorded from northeastern to southern Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Despite this, the known distribution of this species in the Southwestern Atlantic is very patchy and, in some cases, still mostly ignored in the literature, such as in northeastern Brazil. This study, therefore, aimed to report 23 new records of Hexanchus griseus in the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic and highlight the presence of this species off the northeastern Brazilian coast. So far, Hexanchus griseus was officially reported from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, and the state of Ceará along the northeast coast of Brazil. Herein, the known distribution is extended to the continental shelf breaks and upper slopes of other Brazilian states, reinforcing the previously reported occurrence of the species near the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that the South Brazil Bight (SBB) hosts strong westward propagating mesoscale eddies. We use 28 years of satellite altimetry data and a new Eddy Atlas to estimate how much of the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) observed in the SBB is accounted for by local eddies, generated in the Brazil Current (BC) region, versus remote eddies generated eastward of the BC region. First, we estimate a BC frontal density to obtain a robust definition of BC region. The BC front is well-defined throughout the SBB, occupying the region between the 200-m and 1000-m isobath, except in eddy hotspots downstream of sharp inflections of the continental slope, where the EKE far exceeds the mean kinetic energy (MKE). Compact, closed-contour mesoscale eddies account for 30–50% of the total EKE observed in the SBB, with local eddies accounting for most of the compact EKE in the BC region, defined as the area within 200 km of the 28-year mean BC front. Remote compact eddies account for less than 10% of the EKE observed in the BC region; compact eddies generated at long distances from the SBB, including eddies generated in the Southeastern Atlantic, contribute an insignificant fraction of EKE in the BC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript presents an inventory of the carbonate system from the main water masses comprising the marine current system on Brazil's northeast coast (South Atlantic Ocean). For this purpose, four transects were conducted with an approximate length of 357 km (each one) through the platform and continental slope of the Sergipe–Alagoas sedimentary basin. Water samples were then collected in vertical profiles measuring from 5 to 1,799 meters depth, totaling 34 stations. Total alkalinity, calcium, and total boron were obtained analytically from these samples and by relationships with salinity. Speciation and concentration of the carbonate system were obtained by means of thermodynamic modeling. The results revealed that the empirical models used to calculate the concentrations of TA, calcium and total boron showed relevant variation when compared to the analytical values (TA: 5.0–6.5%; Ca: 0.4–4.8%; BT: 7.0–18.9%). However, the speciation and concentration of the carbonate system (CA, DIC, CO32− , CO2(aq), ΩCalc, and ΩArag) obtained from the empirical values of TA, calcium and total boron did not differ significantly from those obtained analytically (0.0–6.1%). On the other hand, the parameters of pH, HCO3‐ , CO3(aq)2‐ , CO2(aq), ρCO2, ΩCalc, and ΩArag varied significantly within the different water masses (p < 0.05). This study supports and encourages acidification monitoring projects in the South Atlantic Ocean, based on modeling the carbonate system parameters generated in real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meiodorvillea Jumars, 1974 is a little-known genus of Dorvilleidae Chamberlin, 1919, characterized by its small size and reduced appendages and jaw apparatus. A revision of the genus is presented, including analysis of the type material of M. minuta (Hartman, 1965) and M. apalpata Jumars, 1974, as well as specimens collected from shelf and slope continental areas in Brazil. A neotype was designated for M. minuta and its distribution was extended to Brazil. The identity of M. chilensis (Hartmann-Schröder, 1965) is questioned and three new species from 21 to 1,300.7 meters depth are also described. Meiodorvillea penhaesp. nov. has furcate chaeta only in the first anterior chaetigers. In contrast, Meiodorvillea hartmanaesp. nov. has very small palps and asymmetrical thin furcate chaeta and Meiodorvillea jumarsisp. nov. has dorsal cirri and geniculate chaeta only in the first anterior chaetigers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altitudinal gradients, among other abiotic factors, are directly linked to species' diversity patterns and distributions. Another important factor to be considered is the geographic position of a mountain chain, with oceanic and continental-facing slopes having distinct environmental conditions reflected in distinct phytophysiognomies. We examined the distributions of species of Passifloraceae sensu stricto along an altitudinal gradient (varying from 300 to 2,199 m.a.s.l.) in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (PARNASO) in Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil. Field excursions were undertaken to record and collect specimens. Maps were prepared of the distribution of sampling efforts, taking into consideration altitudinal gradients and rainfall. The statistical analysis was made to define the patterns of richness and abundance within the altitudinal classes. Analyses of similarity, grouping and NMDS were made of the oceanic and continental slopes. A total of 19 species of Passifloraceae s.s. were encountered. The greatest species richness was found at intermediate elevations (1,100-1,300 m.a.s.l). The similarity index between the two exposure slopes was 28%, indicating distinct species compositions on different faces. Our data helps to define the distribution and species composition of Passifloraceae s.s. within the PARNASO, and should be useful for conservation actions there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Polymixiidae is an ancient group of acanthomorph fish, often regarded as living fossils. Currently, there are 11 valid species allocated in the genus Polymixia , and commonly known as beardfish. All species are benthopelagic and can be found at depths between 80 and 800 meters, in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Traditionally, only two species had been assigned to the Atlantic Ocean, P. lowei , in the western Atlantic, and P. nobilis , in the North Atlantic, including northern South America and Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago; however, recent studies revealed a cryptic species from the Bermudas, described as P. hollisterae , and a yet undescribed species from the Caribbean Sea. Herein, we describe a new species of Polymixia from the western South Atlantic, which was previously confused with P. lowei. The new species is supported by both morphological and molecular evidence and can be distinguished among its congeners by a combination of characters, including counts of gill rakers, pyloric caeca, and dorsal-fin rays, arrangement of scales spines, and the shape of preopercle. The new species is distributed on the upper continental slope in Brazil, from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, and Uruguay, between 160 and 600 meters deep. • A new species of the living fossil genus Polymixia is described. • Integrative taxonomy reveals a new beardfish from the western South Atlantic. • The Atlantic Ocean harbors a cryptic diversity of the deep-sea genus Polymixia. • Molecular phylogeny reveals allopatric speciation between North and South Atlantic. • Industrial activities and marine litter are threatening Brazilian deep-sea fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New bathymetric and subsurface data from the Santos Basin, offshore southeast Brazil, reveal sharp lateral morphological variations facing the margin-parallel (along-margin) flow of the Antarctic Intermediate Water. The data, derived from 3D Pre-Stack Depth Migrated (PSDM) seismic reflection volumes, show on a ∼100 km long Southern segment slope gullies, mass transport deposits, and scars. These morphologies sharply shift laterally to a ∼50 km long Northern segment, typified by a smooth relief built of plastered contourite drifts with occasional elongated depressions. We examine this sharp lateral shift in the morphology of bottom current indicators in view of the hydrodynamical regime, sediment sources, and their distribution pattern. Results indicate that the sharp lateral morphological shift is attributed to (1) a 30° change in slope orientation, and (2) a northward increase in the across-margin velocity component of the Intermediate Water Boundary Current (IWBC). Subsurface data suggest this flow pattern has persisted since the mid-Miocene. In this case study, the lateral morphological shifts under contemporary hydrodynamic conditions emphasize the importance of understanding the coupling between ocean bottom currents and the seafloor in any marine environment. [Display omitted] • New bathymetric and subsurface data from the Santos Basin, offshore southeast Brazil • Sharp lateral shift from down- to along-slope dominated morphologies. • In between - mega slide tunnels shelf sediments to the deep Atlantic seafloor • Flow of Antarctic Intermediate Water along the slope regulates seafloor morphology. • Extent of coupling between ocean bottom current and seafloor is central for seafloor morphology analysis worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dolphins are highly social animals usually reported in large groups comprised of individuals of a single species, although they are often reported associating with other species as well. The drivers for the formation of these mixed-species associations (MSAs) are poorly understood, and records in Brazilian waters are scarce. To better understand their occurrence in the region, we assessed seasonal and spatial distribution of MSAs in waters over the outer continental shelf and slope off Brazil (22° to 33° S). Data were collected during spring and autumn between 2009 and 2014. From a total of 187 Delphinidae sightings, 28 consisted of MSAs. Tursiops truncatus was the most frequently sighted species in an MSA (n = 22 sightings) and was mostly found in lower numbers than its associated counterparts: Globicephala melas, Stenella frontalis, Grampus griseus, and Pseudorca crassidens. MSAs between Stenella attenuata and Stenella longirostris or Delphinus delphis and S. frontalis were also reported. Our data did not show any seasonal or spatial trends in overall MSA frequency; nevertheless, the widely distributed T. truncatus appears to shift its associates according to their local abundance (e.g., associating with G. melas in the southern region of the study area and with S. frontalis in the southeastern region). Although a lot remains to be investigated regarding the ecological drivers for such associations between sympatric dolphins in Brazilian waters, this was the first effort to describe their occurrence and distribution patterns using cetacean dedicated surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last half century, studies based on an increasing, diverse data set, have focused on passive continental margin evolution, as a result of a sequence of tectonic processes that occur in crustal scale and in the geological time. Where extensive subsurface data exists, two distinct endmembers of continental margin architectures were first described along specific margins of the North Atlantic: 1) wide continent-ocean transitions or hyper-extended; 2) narrow continent-ocean transitions or hypo-extended. The lateral transition between these endmember margins, which can occur laterally in short distances, is still not fully understood. The same two endmember margin types are observed across passive margins around the world and notably along the South Atlantic margin. In an area known for controversial interpretations about the crustal nature and the limits of thinned continental crust, this investigation integrates crustal thickness, seismic interpretation, and facies analyses across ∼150,000 km of seismic data along the Brazilian southeastern margin. This study has implications for those investigating the crustal geometry variations for basin analysis and results impact hydrocarbon assessments for the southeastern margin of Brazil. We resume continental margin analyses, in a critical moment as hydrocarbon exploration advances from the continental slope to ultra-deep waters. Results indicate a marked change from a narrow, hypo-extended, sub-aerial, Iceland-like, plume-related volcanic crust in the Pelotas Basin, to a hyper-extended, Iberia-like, magma-rich crust in the Santos Basin, which is separated by a pronounced oceanic transform-fault zone. Dextral movement along this NW-oriented fault zone accommodated differential extensional rates between the hypo- and the hyper-extended margins. Lateral variations in magmatic content within these margin types are interpreted as result from the interaction with mantellic plumes. Margin architecture can locally be affected by pre-existing fault zones and be later modified by oceanic transform faults. The interactions between crustal extensional rates, crustal rheology, mantle underplating, and volcanic material exhumed through mantle-derived plumes, are the key controls for the evolution of continental margins. Tectonic framework classification proposed in this study presents an alternative, original model for continental passive margins evolution. • Continental passive margin types change laterally in short distances, with variable magmatic content. • The passive margin architecture analysis is a more consistent margin type classification criterion than magmatism. • Hyper-extended passive margins exhibit wide continent-ocean transition (COT), and may be magma-poor or magma-rich. • Hypo-extended passive margins exhibit narrow COT, and also may be magma-poor or magma-rich. • Regional, integrated studies based on potential methods and seismic are recommended to comprehend passive margin evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An indirect way to measure the speed of bottom currents granulometric parameters such as the proxy sortable silt ( S S ‾). This proxy is associated with the sedimentation process and can estimate paleocurrents. This study aims to evaluate the range of the near-bottom current flow speed through the S S ‾ and related to oceanographic processes in the southeastern Brazilian continental slope. The S S ‾ values ranged from 17.08 to 26.23 μm, presenting a mean value of 19.87 μm. The flow speed values were obtained using Ledbetter's (1986) and Miller and Komar (1977) formulas, varying from a minimum of 0.07 and 0.21 m s−1 to a maximum of 0.24 and 0.26 m s−1. The changes in bottom velocities observed in the Campos Basin are influenced by off-shelf export of the sediment, hydrodynamic parameters (Brazil Current, Intermediate Western Boundary Current, and the Deep Western Boundary Current), and the geomorphological characteristics (island, ravine, and halokinesis movement). • An indirect way to measure the speed of bottom currents. • Oceanographic processes in the southeastern Brazilian continental slope. • Mean sortable silt variations in the continental shelf and upper continental slope. • Influence of Vitória Trindade Chain in the current circulation and source of sediment. • Influence of Brazil Current, Intermediate Western Boundary Current, and the Deep Western Boundary Current in the bottom sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although seismic activity in Brazil is low to moderate, some earthquakes with damage potential occurred in the past. Engineering structures located along the coast and those installed in deep waters need to comply with safety requirements. In addition, there is a need to address the public interest regarding the effects of seismically-induced landslides. Therefore, a probabilistic seismic hazard assessment was carried out for the offshore south/southeast regions of Brazil, in order to estimate potential levels of ground motion. A historical and recent instrumental seismicity catalog for this region has been compiled. A stochastic attenuation relation with different seismic source models and recurrence parameters was used in a hazard analysis with the CRISIS 2012 software. To capture the epistemic and aleatoric uncertainties in the hazard calculations, a logic tree approach was adopted, considering different seismic zone models, seismic activity parameters, and scaling factors in the Ground Motion Prediction Equation. It was verified that the Peak Ground Accelerations are mostly less than 2.0% g in the continental portion of the region (for 10% exceedance probability in 50 years). At a particular point of interest located offshore in the continental slope of the study area, the seismic hazard is also low, with the maximum acceleration for the probability of exceedance of 10% and 2% in 50 years reaching mean values of 3.2% and 19.1% g, respectively, for very hard rock conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Continental Margin (BEM) deep-water regions contain important geological features, although the area is poorly explored beyond the continental shelf-break. The main objective of this study is to seismically characterize syn- and post-rift sequences and certain seamounts that are part of the Fernando de Noronha Ridge (FNR) in deep-water basins and are off of the shore of northeastern Brazil. We used 2D post-stack high-resolution seismic sections to distinguish syn-rift, post-rift, and drift tectono-depositional phases. Three seismic horizons (R1 to R3) could represent, respectively, the following: an acoustic basement top, a rift top, and a highstand system tract (drift). The syn-rift stage is marked by discontinuous parallel reflectors with low amplitude and low frequency, which are offset by normal faults in half-grabens. The post-rift and drift stages are characterized by continuous parallel reflectors with low to high amplitude and frequency. Chaotic seismic reflections within the seamounts indicate their volcanic origins. Volcanic intrusions affected syn-rift, post-rift, and drift sequences and partially confine the deep-water basin deposition. The magmatic event occurred once the preexistent material and the sediment deposited after the seamount rises were partially confined by the continental slope and the seamounts. Seismic stratigraphy interpretation and its correlation with volcanic activities indicate a relative chronological control relating the emplacement of the seamounts to the Early Eocene to Late Miocene. Volcanic episodes seem to have created volcanoclastic deposits marked by a disorganized/chaotic seismic pattern with few continuous reflectors, indicating interbedded magma flows with sedimentary material. This paper provides an initial observation regarding the deep-water basin deposits on syn- and post-rift stages in the NE portion of the BEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major biodiversity on the planet is present in coastal and oceanic environments, despite this, on the northern continental shelf of Brazil, data on most of the marine groups still are deficient, especially in areas deeper than 20 m and in the continental slope area. This lack of data is aggravated by high fisheries exploitation, which causes a decline in large, abundant populations, even leading them to threat of extinction. Among that marine biodiversity, no group has a larger morphological variety than crustaceans. In this scenario, knowledge about the local biodiversity, its richness and seasonality, is essential for a qualified fisheries management. The Amazon continental shelf has one of the largest shrimp fisheries in the country, and due to the ecological and economic importance that crustaceans have in the region, a detailed study on their diversity is necessary. In this article, we use data collected in the Revizee Program. We identified 91 species: crabs (32.97%), shrimp (28.57%), anomurans (10.99%), soft crabs (10.99%), lobsters (9.89%), stomatopods (4.40%) and isopods (2.20%). The State of Amapá had fewer species (n = 11) compared to Pará (n = 47). The data analysis shows there is a lack of knowledge about the real biodiversity present on the Amazon continental shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—Analysis more of 80 hydrocarbon fields, mainly oil-producing, in the deepwater part of the Santos, Campos and Espirito Santo basins reveal the tendency of these large fields to lie in a productive oil-pay belt extending in the sea depth from range from 400 to 2500 m (possibly 3000 m or more) in a system of external depressions stretching along the lower part of the continental slope. This belt may continued to the north. All the fields in this belt in reserves category are estimated as large and giant. In the last 10–15 years, exploration works have been conducted in this belt already in the presalt formation: in the Santos Basin, 29 fields; in the Campos Basin, 21; and in the Espirito Santo Basin 7. It is noteworthy that 48% of the total hydrocarbon production of the country formed in presalt carbonate deposits of the Aptian Formation on the continental slope, 44% postsalt rocks on the continental slope and shelf, and only 8% is attributed to the mainland. In the world, Brazil's deepwater presalt Aptian Formation (Barremian–Aptian in the Santos Basin) is essentially unique. In recent decades, giant hydrocarbon accumulations have been discovered, thereby doubling the country's oil and gas reserves to total reserves of more than 3 billion t and 4.7 trillion m3, respectively. The geology of the presalt formation is narrowly related to tectonic movements that took place during the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent into the South American and African continents. This took place 150 Ma ago in the Early Cretaceous. The salt of the Aptian Formation is an excellent caprock, the presalt reservoirs are superior in their characteristics, the oil is light and sweet, and the source rocks are enriched in organic matter. The thickness of the Aptian salt is limited, varying from basin to basin; the main width of the salt is in the Santos Basin 400 km and the thickness is 2000 m; in the north, the thickness and width decrease; in the Sergipi Alagoas Basin, it already reaches 100 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazon continental shelf hosted one of the world's largest mixed carbonate-siliciclastic platforms from the late Paleocene onwards - the Amapá carbonates. The platform architecture, however, remains poorly understood and causes and timing of the cessation of carbonate deposition are still controversial. Here we present a stratigraphic analysis of the Neogene succession of the Amapá carbonates, based on a grid of 2D/3D seismic data correlated to revised micropaleontological data from exploration wells. The results provide improved constraints on the age of the transition from predominantly carbonate to siliciclastic sedimentation, which is shown to have varied through time across three different sectors of the shelf (NW, Central and SE). Four Neogene evolutionary stages of carbonate deposition could be defined and dated with reference to the new age model: (1) between ca. 24 and 8 Ma a predominantly aggrading mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shelf prevailed across the entire region carbonate production gave way to siliciclastic sedimentation across the Central and SE shelves; (2) between 8 and 5.5 Ma carbonate production continued to dominate the NW shelf, as deposition was able to keep up with base level oscillations; (3) between 5.5 and 3.7 Ma (early Pliocene), sediment supply from the paleo-Amazon River promoted the progressive burial of carbonates on the inner NW shelf, while carbonates production continued on the outer shelf (until 3.7 Ma). Longer-lasting carbonate sedimentation on the NW shelf can be explained by a lesser influx of siliciclastic sediments due to the paleo-geography of the Central shelf, characterized by a 150-km-wide embayment, which directed most terrigenous sediments sourced from the paleo-Amazon River to the continental slope and deep ocean; (4) from 3.7 Ma onwards, when the Central shelf embayment became completely filled, continuous sediment supply to the NW shelf resulted in the final transition from carbonate to siliciclastic-dominated environments on the entire Offshore Amazon Basin. • New age models allow to clarify the Neogene history of the Amazon shelfal carbonates. • Differential subsidence strongly controls shelf architecture between ca. 24–3,7Ma • Higher siliciclastic influx suppressed the Central and NW shelf carbonates at ca. 8Ma • Carbonate production locally persisted on the NW Amazon shelf until ca. 3.7Ma • Reduction of regional subsidence rates led to the death of shelfal carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the North-East equatorial Brazilian margin was investigated during the MAGIC (Margins of brAzil, Ghana and Ivory Coast) seismic wide-angle experiment. This study focuses on the MC5 profile, that spans NW-SE 720 km in length, from the São Paulo Double Fracture Zone to the Barreirinhas margin and continental Borborema province. Its main objective is to understand the fundamental processes which lead to the thinning and finally to the breakup of the continental crust in a specific context of a divergent pull-apart system with two strike-slip borders. The experiment was devised to obtain the 2D structure along this profiles from joint pre-stack depth migration of streamer data and travel-time inversion by forward modeling of 43 Ocean Bottom Seismometers and 21 Land Seismic Stations records. Along the MC5 wide-angle transect, 4 major sectors are identified: 1) the São Paulo Double Fracture Zone presenting a 4.5 km thick volcano-sedimentary Basin on top of a 5.5 km thick basement; 2) a volcanic alignment and intermediate domain SE-ward, formed by the 4.5 km thick Basin III; 3) the 7.5 km thick Basin II, and the 5.5 km thick Basin I composing the continental slope and shelf. While all the offshore basement remains about 6 km thick in the deep-sea domains, acoustic velocity evolves from two-layer 4.8–6 km/s and 6.1–6.8 km/s beneath Basin III to two-layer high velocity 6.1–6.8 km/s and 7.2–7.4 km/s beneath Basin II and I, The necking zone, forming the Parnaiba Platform and associated Piaui-Camocim and Ceará Basins, is 50 km wide; 4) the Médio Coreaú and Ceará Central thrust belt, where the un-thinned continental crust thickness reaches 32 km. Finally, a schematic kinematic reconstruction that satisfies these observation is argumented. • The MAGIC (Margins of brAzil, Ghana and Ivory Coast) wide-angle experiment. • The North-East equatorial Brazilian margin. • A 50 km wide necking zone. • The exhumed lower continental crust. • A trapped piece of African exhumed lower continental crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our main goal was to understand the distribution across the horizontal (coordinates) and vertical (altitude) space of the island endemic stream dwelling anura Hylodes fredi, in order to improve strategies for its conservation. We conducted auditory and visual surveys along trails and streams in Ilha Grande (an Atlantic forested island in southeast Brazil, the only place where the species occurs), to estimate the frequency of occurrence and the density of H. fredi between the island slopes (according to the ridgeline which crosses the island from east to west) and along the streams. Hylodes fredi was detected in 31.5% of the streams sampled, occurring only in forested localities. We did not record H. fredi in streams with any sort of human disturbance (like buildings, pollution and/or pipes). Hylodes fredi had a higher frequency of occurrence in streams of the oceanic slope (42.6%) than in continental slope (23.1%), probably due to the higher levels of precipitation in this slope together with the reduced levels of human occupation in comparison with the continental slope. We found an overall average density of 0.04 individuals per meter of stream, possibly because of its territorial behaviour and specific habitat requirements. The distribution of H. fredi along the island is probably consequence of the species' restrict habitat requirement, together with a possible negative impact of human occupation in lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides information on the reproductive biology of the Brazilian blind electric ray Benthobatis kreffti, endemic to southern and southeastern Brazil. Individuals were caught by bottom trawl carried out in 2003 and 2007, at 492-501 m depth off the São Paulo State continental slope. A total of 152 females (115-299 mm) and 144 males (91-243 mm) were sampled. Maturity was first observed at 177 and 162 mm, with total length at 50% maturity of 191 and 176 mm in females and males respectively. Uterine fecundity ranged from 1-3 and was not related to female total length. Size at birth estimated from the largest near-term observed embryos and smallest free-swimming ray was 91-100 mm. The low fecundity observed is typical of deepwater elasmobranch species, as well as late maturity in comparison with costal species. The relatively large size-atbirth suggests that this species invests more in length of each embryo than in litter size, increasing the offspring's survival chance. In this context, these parameters highlight the vulnerability of this and other deepwater species to non-natural death, mostly caused by deep-sea fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep-sea crab Chaceon ramosae occurs at 350-1200 m depth in the southeast and south of Brazil. Here we evaluated the latitudinal, bathymetric, and seasonal abundance of C. ramosae in southern Brazil obtained during several research cruises. We also obtained populational data to evaluate the effectiveness of the fishing regulations for C. ramosae. Five sampling cruises were carried out in 2009-2010 and the sampling effort comprised 32 fishing hauls with four pots per mainline. In total, 195 individuals were caught, 128 males and 67 females, of which 17 were ovigerous. The highest catch per unit effort occurred between 29°03' and 29°05'S at 800-1000 m in depth. The highest abundance occurred in winter, and almost all ovigerous females were captured in this season. The size at the onset of sexual maturity was estimated at 120 mm carapace width. Depth was the most critical environmental factor explaining C. ramosae distribution. The largest individuals, as well as the mature ones, were mainly captured in shallower regions (400-600 m). Our results confirm the need for prohibiting the fishing for C. ramosae at depths lesser than 500 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microstructure data down to 400 m reveal the intensity of turbulence in a frontal region. • Active turbulence was always present down to 400 m, often with high-dissipation patches. • The geometric mean eddy diffusivity is 7.0 × 10–4 m2/s, increasing south of the front. • Both vertical shear and double diffusion likely play a role in driving the enhaced mixing. Diapycnal mixing in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence Zone (BMC) is assessed on the basis of microstructure measurements done as part of an April 2017 cruise, which explored the mesoscalar and regional frontal dynamics. Sampling was done down to 400 m in 11 locations on both sides of the BMC, over the slope and in the abyssal waters. Turbulent scales, non-dimensional numbers, energy dissipation rates and diapycnal eddy diffusivities are calculated, which allow us to assess the state of the small-scale turbulence in the frontal region. Active turbulence was present at all depths and stations, with high-dissipation patches ranging from several metres to a few tens of metres. The frontal zone is characterized by high energy dissipation and eddy diffusivity. The geometric mean eddy diffusivity for all stations and the entire water column is 7.0 × 10-4 m2 s−1. The mean values halve when only considering the more stratified seasonal thermocline, 3.8 × 10-4 m2 s−1, and are twice larger south than north of the BMC. High dissipation rates coincide with high vertical shear, possibly related to the convergence of the two intense currents and/or the generation of internal waves by the associated mesoscalar and submesoscalar features. The layered structures related to intruding filaments favor double diffusive convection and salt fingering. Near-bottom mixing at the stations on the continental slope is possible related to shear-driven Kelvin-Helmoltz instabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate spatiotemporal patterns in the distribution and relative abundance of blue sharks and their relationship with environmental variables and oceanographic processes in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. We modeled data on catch records from the Brazilian pelagic tuna longline fleet using generalized additive models (GAMs). The distribution of Prionace glauca was influenced by salinity, chlorophyll-a and temperature. Our models showed that both the catch per unit of fishing effort (CPUE) and the probability of presence increased mainly between March and August. The CPUE was also influenced by ocean depth and sea surface height, and the probability of occurrence by ocean fronts and slope. The highest CPUE values and probability of occurrence of blue sharks tended to occur mainly in parts of the continental slope off Brazil and at the Rio Grande Rise, characterized by the presence of seamounts. Such hotspots for P. glauca could potentially be considered in fisheries management plans. • - Oceanographic processes can influence the distribution of Prionace glauca. • - Areas of greatest importance for blue sharks occur on the continental slope and in the Rio Grande Rise. • - Hotspots for Prionace glauca could be considered in fisheries management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New insights into equatorial slope morphology were acquired through analysis of the continental margin of the Potiguar Basin (NE Brazil). In this paper, we present the first full data coverage of the seafloor between the upper and middle continental slopes (100–1300 m) adjacent to the Brazilian equatorial margin, developed using multibeam bathymetric data. Some of the submarine canyons mapped in this study have wall gradients greater than 35°. Wide (∼1700 km) and deep (∼250 m) incisions are present on the continental slope and can be linked to incised valleys that are underfilled or incised only on the outer shelf at depths up to 60 m. Two different types of canyons were identified. Canyons of one type are characterized by heads that indent the shelf edge, association with incised valleys and large fluvial systems, high sinuosity, ‘V’ shapes, and terraces along margins, in addition to erosive features such as landslides and gullies. These characteristics suggest that canyons of this type are associated with the deposition of submarine fan systems, which are considered permeable hydrocarbon reservoirs, on the base of the continental slope. The presence of gullies and sediment waves illustrates the role of bottom currents in the shaping of the slope. The enlargement of the canyons in the study area and the changes in their courses where they cross an important fault suggest that tectonic activity has probably also influenced the morphology of the deep-water environments of the Potiguar Basin. The results of this study constitute initial steps in describing and understanding submarine canyons as part of the equatorial continental Brazilian margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study is to assess the control of faults of the rift and post-rift stages on the shelf morphology of the Potiguar Basin in northeastern Brazil. This aborted rift basin was generated during the opening of the Equatorial Atlantic in the Aptian. The offshore portion of the continental margin consists of a narrow (~ 40 km) and shallow (~ 70 m below present sea-level) continental shelf with a very steep continental slope (1:11). Our dataset encompasses gravity, bathymetric, shallow seismic and structural data. The results indicate that low sedimentation rates during the Quaternary period contributed to the identification of structural controls in pre-Holocene rocks. The key evidence for fault reactivation on the seafloor is the link between coastal and shelf features associated with pre-Cenozoic structures of the Potiguar Basin. During periods of low sea level, the incision of shelf valleys was readjusted longitudinally and transversally due to the structural controls. Shelf gradient breaks are associated with the occurrences of coplanar ESE--WNW-oriented faults, and uplifted and subsided areas occur in between these fault systems. The results indicate a strong correlation between the margin geometry, modern shelf surface, near-surface expression, and the rift-phase faults, which appear to be reactivated in concordance with the present-day margin stress field. We conclude that neotectonics has influenced both the sediment deposition and morphology of the NE Brazilian Equatorial margin during Quaternary times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the main environmental factors controlling the benthic foraminiferal distribution along continental slopes, and corroborate paleoenvironmental interpretations, we investigated benthic foraminiferal assemblages (total fauna >63 μm) and sedimentological data along six transects on the continental slope of the Espírito Santo Basin (ESB) between 18°20′ and 21°20′ S. Surface sediment samples (0–2 cm) were collected perpendicularly to the coast, from the upper (400 m) to the lower slope (3000 m). The density, taxonomic diversity and assemblage composition change with depth. The genus Globocassidulina dominates the upper and lower slope, whereas Bolivina is the most abundant taxon in the deepest lower slope. The differences in ecological preferences among the most abundant taxa allowed us to recognize five benthic foraminiferal groups, distributed in three main bathymetric sectors: upper, middle – lower, and lower slope. Group I (upper slope, 400 m) is characterized by the highest mean relative abundances of Globocassidulina rossensis , Trifarina spp. and Trifarina angulosa. Group II (middle – lower slope, 1000–1300 m) shows the highest mean relative abundances of Globocassidulina subglobosa , Bolivina albatrossi , Bulimina aculeata and Uvigerina peregrina. Group III (middle – lower slope, 1000–1300 m) is characterized by the highest mean relative abundances of Globocassidulina crassa , Gavelinopsis versiformis , Epistominella exigua and the unilocular group. Group IV (lower slope, 1900 m) shows the highest mean relative abundances of Alabaminella weddellensis , Bolivina inflata and E. exigua. Group V (lower slope, 2500–3000 m) is dominated by the genus Bolivina (B. lowmani , B. pseudoplicata and Bolivina spp). The most abundant taxa along the ESB slope are ecologically associated to the organic matter flux, bottom water oxygen concentration, and hydrodynamics conditions. The quantity and quality of food supply is the primary factor controlling the distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages along depth. Secondary factors include the properties of water masses, and intermediate and deep boundary currents. The increased fragmentation of benthic and planktic foraminifera tests (>125 μm) on the upper and middle – lower slope is related to abrasion during transport from shallower regions to the slope. • Recent benthic foraminiferal assemblages change markedly with depth. • Benthic foraminifera distribution is primarily ruled by the organic matter influx. • The organic flux is high on the upper slope due to the shelf-break upwelling. • Opportunistic species confirms the influence of the Vitoria Eddy in the primary productivity. • The properties of waters masses play a secondary role in the microfauna distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of oceanographic processes and a negligible fluvial terrestrial sediment contribution makes the Santos Basin margin (southwestern Brazil) a unique environment for studying thew morphological imprint of bottom currents on the seafloor morphology. We divide the seafloor into four domains: outer shelf, upper, middle, and lower slope, based on an analysis of sub-bottom Chirp profiles, multichannel seismic data, hydrographic data, numerical simulation outputs, and a seismic-derived bathymetry map. A clinoform at the outer shelf and upper slope, topped by erosional morphologies, developed below the SW-flowing Brazil Current (BC). At the bottom of the upper slope, a rugged and mounded surface around 600 mbsl coincides with the current flow reversal to the underlying NE-flowing Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC). The smooth middle slope exhibits sheeted contourites interrupted by occasional channel-and-mound complexes. From the middle slope base, salt tectonics becomes a major player in setting the seafloor morphology. The slope-parallel Santos Channel develops above a subsurface diapir and the Cabo Frio Fault. The latter divides between the landward gap in subsurface Albian salt and the basinward rich diapir realm. Hence, the lower slope is reworked by the SW-flowing Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC); however, salt tectonics dictates its morphology. Our study consists of a unique example for studying the morpho-sedimentary imprint of a counter-current flowing on the continental slope and also for exploring the interaction between bottom flows with a suite of endogenic processes, such as salt tectonics, fluid flows, and mass movements. • Acoustic recognition of contourites generated by opposite flows. • Outer shelf and upper slope dominated by the Brazil Current. • A smooth surface represents the boundary between Brazil Current and Intermediate Western Boundary Current. • Steep middle slope molded by channel-and-mound features. • Santos channel and drift not in equilibrium with present-day hydrodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the rare, deep-sea genus Sciadonus Garman, 1899 (Bythitidae) is described based on two specimens obtained by the Brazilian R/V Alpha Crucis on the continental slope off São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil, western South Atlantic. It differs from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: body pale lacking dark pigmentation except for on female claspers; a pair of dermal tissue flaps anteriorly on lower jaw; pelvic-fin rays present; precaudal vertebrae 39 or 40 and total vertebrae 74 or 75. The key to the species of Sciadonus is updated. A discussion of the presence and differentiation between troglomorphic and miniature characteristics among the species in the aphyonid clade is provided and compared with other bythitids. • A new species of the rare genus Sciadonus is discovered from Brazilian waters. • Highly specialized reproductive apparatus enables internal fertilization and viviparity in a deep-sea fish. • The depletion of sunlight resulted on convergent evolution of troglomorphic traits in deep-sea fishes and cave fishes. • Human activities of oil and natural gas exploration, fisheries and littering may be impacting rare deep-sea species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical export of particulate organic carbon (POC) is a key component of the oceanic biological pump, which regulates the distribution of elements associated with primary production in the upper euphotic zone. To better understand how oceanic biogeochemical processes will respond in climate change scenarios, it is necessary to comprehend the mechanisms that regulate the magnitude and variations of POC flux among distinct oceanic domains, including the boundaries between continental margins and oceanic basins. This work is a first assessment of particle flux over the South Brazil Bight continental slope, a tropical western boundary system dominated by the Brazil Current. Total mass flux, and specific carbon, nitrogen and biogenic silica fluxes were measured periodically by two sediment traps installed at 450 m deep over the 900 m isobath, and at 750 m deep over the 2000 m isobath, from November 2016 to September 2017. Due to strong contribution of advected particles, high and extremely irregular fluxes were registered at the 900 m isobath site (mean = 1.1 g m-2 d− 1, stand. dev. ± 2.9 g m-2 d-1). The captured material suggests this sediment trap was affected by turbidity flows, which precludes the estimation of the biological pump contribution over this isobath. Over the 2000 m isobath, POC flux (3.7 mg m-2 d-1; ±2.5 mg m-2 d− 1) followed the seasonal pattern of primary production measured by satellite. POC flux was strongly correlated with biogenic silica content (r = 0.79; p < 0.01). This ballast mineral was more efficient than CaCO 3 in transferring carbon from the base of the euphotic zone to 750 m. We suggest intra-seasonal variations found in the POC flux over the 2000 m isobath to be related to Brazil Current instabilities. Measurements of δ15N suggest that higher POC flux occurred during subsurface nitrate-based production regimes. A regional exponential export model is proposed, with a mean exponent (b value) of 1.4 (±0.3). Although initial, the results of this work allow us to estimate that 2.2 × 1012 g C is exported annually over the South Brazil Bight continental slope. • Time-series measurement of POC, PON, CaCO 3 , biogenic silica and lithogenic particle fluxes over the South Brazil Bight slope. • Inter- and intra-seasonal flux patterns are discussed. • Biogenic and lithogenic particle sources are investigated through organic matter indexes. • Averaged exponential model for the region and estimated annual export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pará-Maranhão/Barreirinhas margin, North Brazil, is a pull-apart passive margin, with two strike-slip borders, formed during the opening of the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean during Cretaceous time. Its geometry and evolution are speculative due to the lack of information on the crustal structure and the crustal nature. We present here the E-W profiles of the MAGIC (M argins of br A zil, G hana and I vory C oast) deep seismic experiment, a joint project between French and Brazilian universities, research institutes and the industry. Fifty-six Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) and a 4.5 seismic streamer were deployed at sea along 2 of the 5 MAGIC profiles. One profile was extended onshore by installing 8 land stations. We perform forward modelling through combined interpretation of the multichannel seismic and of the main reflected and refracted of these phases recorded by the OBSs. The final P-wave velocity models reveal distinct structural domains from onshore Brazil towards the Atlantic Ocean characterized by variations of the crustal thicknesses and velocities: (1) an unthinned continental crust below the São Luís Craton, where the crust is 33 km thick, (2) a 60 km wide necking domain below the Ilha de Santana Platform; (3) offshore, east of the continental slope, a 10 km-thick deep sedimentary basin underlain by a 5 km thick crust with velocity of 6.2–6.9 km/s that we interpret as an exhumed lower continental crust, on the top of an Anomalous Velocity Layer (AVL) probably made of intrusions of mantle-derived melts into the lower continental crust, or a mixture of them; (4) eastwards, the limit of the previous domain is marked by NW-SE aligned volcanoes and the disappearance of the AVL. The sedimentary succession becomes thinner (6 km) overlaying a proto-oceanic crust characterized by seismic velocities higher than "normal" oceanic crust in its upper part, but in continuity with the velocity described in the previous domain; (5) followed by a more characteristic but thin oceanic crust. The middle/lower continental crust seems not only to have a crucial role in the genesis of the passive margin but also to be involved in the genesis of the first oceanic crust. The passage to a typical oceanic crust seems to have occurred progressively by steps: first in the deeper layer by the setup of more and more intrusions of mantle-derived melts at the base of the crust or mixture of exhumed lower crust and mantle, producing a domain of proto-oceanic crust, then by the emplacement of an upper 1-2 km-thick layer with typical oceanic characteristics. • A very abrupt necking zone. • An intermediate domain, presenting a 5–7 km thick sedimentary sequence, lying on an exhumed lower continental crust • A deep layer possibly made of intrusions of mantle-derived melts into the lower continental crust, with anomalous velocities. • A transition to oceanic crust very complex, with the presence of an about 60 km-wide band of proto-oceanic crust before a "more typical" but still thin oceanic crust eastward. • The passage from intermediate to typical oceanic domains is not abrupt occurs in stages and involves the lower continental crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The composition and magnitude of the catches of the life stages of both sexes of the blue shark Prionace glauca were recorded at sea from 2004 to 2006 during seven commercial longline fishing cruises off Southern Brazil between latitudes of 24°S and 38°S and longitudes 29°W and 52°W. P. glauca occurred in all sets and constituted 63% of the pooled catch in numbers. Fork length (FL) ranged from 84 to 262cm in the males and from 73 to 247cm in the females. Sea surface temperature ranged from 16.2 to 28.3°C. The Subtropical Convergence (STC) of the Southwest Atlantic occurred in the sampling area from autumn to spring (June–December). Small juveniles (FL, 70–129cm) of both sexes were abundant only in the area of the STC. Of the large juveniles (FL, 130–179cm), males were abundant south of latitude 23°S and females were scarce in the entire study area. Of the small adults (FL, 180–219cm), males occurred in the entire study area without a seasonal pattern and females were abundant only in the summer (March) north of latitude 26°S. Large adults (FL, 220–262cm) of both sexes were scarce at all times. In analogy with the spatial distribution of the life stages of P. glauca in other oceans, the distribution patterns of the life stages in the study area justify the hypothesis that the STC comprises a nursery area of P. glauca in the Southwest Atlantic, where small juveniles of both sexes remain until they reach FL of 130cm. After that stage the large juvenile males disperse northwards, whereas the large juvenile females move to the south of the STC or to the Southeast Atlantic off Africa. The subadult females move northwards in late summer (March) to areas beyond latitude 25°S. Because of the limitations of the fishery-dependent data and patchy coverage of the study area, no definitive conclusions are presented, but the above hypotheses may orient further study of the spatial distribution of the blue shark in the Southwest Atlantic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Biogeographic distributional patterns of gastropods are proposed based on the species' geographic and bathymetric distribution. Samples were collected along the Brazilian continental margin between 18° S and 23° S, at 37 stations with depths from 20 m to 1,330 m. The analysis of the biogeographic distribution patterns confirmed the existence of a transitional zone from tropical to subtropical waters in the area of both the continental shelf and slope, suggesting a relationship with water mass circulation. We observed a high species turnover rate between the shelf and slope. The analysis of gastropod species distribution revealed a similar pattern on the shelf and slope and a large difference between shallow and deep-water faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• North Brazil Undercurrent (NBUC) and Current (NBC) are important AMOC pathway. • Using ADCP we finely describe the NBUC-NBC characteristics at two seasons. • We propose a comprehensive picture of NBUC-NBC spatial patterns and transition. • We show how mesoscale activity can impact the surface nearshore circulation. In the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the North Brazil Undercurrent (NBUC) and the North Brazil Current (NBC) play important roles as near-surface northward paths for the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. To investigate the meridional evolution of the near-surface western boundary circulation in that region, two surveys were carried out off Northeast Brazil during austral spring 2015 and fall 2017, periods that we show to be representative of typical conditions for the spring and fall seasons. Using conductivity temperature depth oxygen probe and ship-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements, altimetry data, and numerical reanalysis products, we examine the spatiotemporal variability of the NBUC, providing a comprehensive view of the circulation, including NBUC-NBC transition and the potential impact of mesoscale eddies. The NBUC originating south of 10°S flows equatorward over the continental slope. NBUC mean velocity, transport and vertical extent of the velocity core were higher in spring 2015 (0.81 m s−1, 15.6 Sv, and >400 m) than in fall 2017 (0.65 m s−1, 11.0 Sv, and ~300 m). The upper limit of the NBUC velocity core rose slightly from 160 m at 9°S to 105 m depth at 6°S. This pattern is associated with a northward increase in current velocity from 0.7 m s−1 at 9°S to 1 m s−1 at 5°S. The orographic effect shifts the flow from northeastward south of 7.5°S to northwestward north of 7.5°S, following the shoreline. Besides, altimetry data show that this flow can be locally influenced by mesoscale activity. Farther north, at ~4.8°S, data obtained in fall 2017 show that the central branch of the South Equatorial Current (cSEC) enters into the western boundary system where it coalesces with the NBUC to form the NBC, flowing toward the Caribbean Sea. Finally, in fall, the NBUC retroflection does not feed the South Equatorial Undercurrent (SEUC), which, instead originates from retroflections of the cSEC and the equatorial branch of the South Equatorial Current (eSEC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All published chronostratigraphic charts of the Espírito Santo basin, Brazil, show stratigraphic frameworks based on second-order depositional sequences. The absence of published high-resolution biostratigraphic analyses precludes the proposition of a higher order stratigraphic framework. This work breaks down the second-order depositional sequences, from Campanian to Maastrichtian succession in the drift phase of Espírito Santo offshore basin, in three third-order depositional sequences based upon seismic interpretation of a hierarchical scheme of channel on continental slope setting coupled with a correlation to a global sea-level curve. The resolution of the 2D seismic data analyzed allowed the identification of three levels of erosional surfaces and their subsequent filling, from smaller to higher: composite channels, channel complexes and channel complexes set. Channel complexes development is related to lowstand deposits on the continental slope. Also, the aspect ratio of the channel complexes analyzed are reverse to the expected for channel development on continental slope settings. Usually, the further down-dip the channels are located, the higher their aspect ratio, however, it does not happen in the study case. Most of down-dip channels show a lower aspect ratio. It is ascribed to the control of the seafloor topography by the halokinetics. The identification of the geometric pattern of the channels on seismic data allowed a proposition of an exportable depositional model to predict possible sandy deposits on the continental slope regarding the intensity of salt tectonics. • This study updates the Espirito Santo basin chronostratigraphic chart. • The salt effects actively the turbidite systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass-transport complexes in a salt minibasin of the Espírito Santo Basin (SE Brazil) are investigated using a high-quality 3D seismic volume and borehole data. A series of six (6), stacked MTCs were identified from the sea floor down to an approximate depth of 1.5 km. These MTCs exhibit a high variability in size and internal structures. Three of the MTCs contain single, discrete landslide deposits while the other three MTCs contain multiple, contemporaneous landslides that merge to span the entire salt minibasin. The data in this work show that Area/Length relationships and the number of contemporaneous landslide deposits within an MTC are random, revealing no obvious relationship with relative location or depth. As such, there are no clear stacking patterns for the MTCs in this minibasin. This implies that landslide deposits can be encountered anywhere within a salt minibasin and, furthermore, the extent of the slope failure and its internal structure are unpredictable. This work concludes that slope instability can be the dominant process of sediment filling Miocene salt minibasins on the continental slope of Espírito Santo. Moreover, there is a strong link between halokinesis and the triggering of landslides in the salt minibasins, but the identification of MTCs becomes challenging with increasing depth and there is the potential for them to be misrepresented. The identification of basal ramps therefore becomes critical in any analysis; except for the youngest MTC 1, all other complexes show clear basal ramps, and for one of the MTCs the basal ramp is its sole identifying character. • There is a strong link between halokinesis and the triggering of landslides in salt minibasins. • However, there is no obvious stacking patterns for MTCs in these same salt minibasins. • Area/Length and the number of contemporaneous landslide show no relationship with location or depth. • Identification of MTCs on seismic data becomes increasingly challenging with depth. • For deeply buried MTCs, basal ramps may be their sole identifying factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the patterns of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes at the base of the food webs (baseline) is essential in ecological studies for assessing the feeding habits and migration patterns of marine predators. We analysed δ13C and δ15N in zooplankton samples collected in spring and autumn (2012–2015), along the south (SCM) and southeast (NCSM) Brazilian oceanic waters. An increase in δ13C from the shelf break towards the offshore was associated with the influence of continental water input and upwellings along the shelf break, which introduce 13C-depleted inorganic carbon to the surface, where it will be incorporated into the biological system through phytoplankton growth. An opposite trend was observed in δ15N, with higher values along the shelf break related to the intrusion of upwelled deep-water nutrients, contrasting with the oligotrophic offshore waters where N 2 fixation takes place, resulting in primary and secondary production that is relatively more depleted in 15N. A latitudinal (north-south) decrease in δ13C along the offshore area coincided with known isotopic patterns in inorganic carbon, which were more 13C-depleted towards higher latitudes. On the other hand, an increase in δ15N was observed towards the south, reflecting the contrast between the N 2 fixation in the more oligotrophic waters in the NCSM and the higher nutrient availability in the SCM. Additionally, δ13C was significantly higher in autumn and δ15N was higher in spring. Although inter-annual differences in δ15N were non-significant, δ13C was significantly lower in 2012 than in the later years. This study provides novel information regarding the patterns of baseline δ13C and δ15N in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, which will be useful for future investigation of the ecology of higher trophic-level organisms occurring in this area. • Isoscapes are influenced by environmental gradients in Brazilian oceanic waters. • There are seasonal differences in baseline δ13C and δ15N values. • Zooplankton δ13C was lower along the shelf break than in the offshore area. • Higher δ15N values were observed in zooplankton collected along the shelf break. • There is a latitudinal (north-south) gradient in zooplankton δ13C and δ15N values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new marine tardigrade species from the deep-sea genus Coronarctus are described from the South-Western Atlantic Ocean: Coronarctusdissimilis sp. nov., C. neptunus sp. nov., and C. yurupari sp. nov. These, and C. laubieri Renaud-Mornant, 1987, are the first records of deep-sea tardigrades from this marine region. Specimens of those species were collected from two localities of the Brazilian continental slope (Potiguar and Campos basins) at depths comprised between 150 and 3000 m. Specimens of the three new species have short cephalic appendages and heteromorphic claws, belonging to the, here designated, C. tenellus group of species. Each of the new species can be distinguished from all the other species of the group by their peculiar-shaped secondary clavae and claws. The most relevant morphological characters used for the taxonomy of the genus: shape of cephalic cirri, shape of secondary-clavae, size and number of accessory spines on claws, and shape of seminal receptacles, are discussed and an identification key to all ten known Coronarctus species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediment core GL-1248, collected from the continental slope off northeastern Brazil, was used to reconstruct mercury (Hg) variations in NE South American continental margin and understand its variability in response to paleoclimate changes over the past 128 ka. Mercury concentrations in GL-1248 ranged between 14.95 and 69.43 ng/g, showing a glacial-interglacial pattern with higher (lower) concentrations in the glacial period (interglacial period). Parallel trends of Hg and XRF-Fe plots suggest that following atmospheric Hg deposition onto the continent, Hg is incorporated with Fe compounds before transportation and eventual immobilization at the NE Brazil continental slope. Peaks of Hg and Fe/Ca ratio peaks occurred concurrently during certain Heinrich Stadials, indicating that Hg is transported from the continent alongside fluvial sediments during periods of increased precipitation and erosion in NE Brazil continent. Mercury concentrations varied with periodicities of 56 ka and 900 yr suggesting glacial-interglacial changes and millennial-scale variability, respectively. Total Hg and total organic carbon are poorly correlated, although the latter likely influenced Hg sequestration into marine sediments during millennial-scale events between 60 ka and 30 ka. Altogether, our results suggest that the atmosphere is the primary source of Hg to GL-1248 and glacial-interglacial climate variations were the major determinant of atmospheric Hg deposition. Furthermore, increased precipitation during millennial-scale events played a secondary role by enhancing Hg transport to the continental slope of NE Brazil. • 128 ka Hg levels showed glacial-interglacial and millennial-scale variabilities. • Soil mineralogy in NE Brazil played a major role in Hg post-depositional process. • Our Hg records are consequent to global and regional paleoclimatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]